Means and method for producing rolled tubular bandages and the like



Feb. 22, 1955 c. A. HANiNGTON MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ROLLED TUBULAR BANDAGES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1955 u I 1 w d INVENTOR. Charles A. Hqnington ATTORNEY 1955 c. A. HANiNGTON 2,702,544

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ROLLED TUBULAR BANDAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 14, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

INVENTOR. Charles A. Hunington ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1955 c. A. HANKNGTON 2,702,544

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ROLLED TUBULAR BANDAGES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1953 FIG'.5

FIG.4

FIG.6 3

IIII'I'IIIIIIIIIII 1' FIG .7

IIIIII/A r m INVENTOR. Charles A. Hcmington ATTOR N EY Feb. 22, 1955 c. A. HANiNGTON 2,702,544

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ROLLED TUBULAR BANDAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 14, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Charles A.Honington El /w ATTORNEY United States Patent MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ROLLED TUBULAR BANDAGES vAND THE LIKE Charles A. Hanington, Freeport, N. Y., assignor to The IScholl Mfg. Co., Inc., a corporation of New York Application January 14, 1953, Serial No. 331,235

9 Claims. (Cl. 128156) 'My invention relates to a means and method for producing 2. rolled tubular bandage applicable to extremities of the human body and particularly to the digital members of the body.

'Heretofo're tubular bandages have been used by physicians and surgeons who cut lengths of gauze from large rolls of the material as needed applying the bandage by pulling one end of the tube over the injured member, tying the medial portion of the tube to form a closure and retroverting the open end over the injured member to form a double ply bandage. This method of application while it is satisfactory for the physician or surgean does not prove satisfactory where the patient wishes to bandage himself, and this is true especially when a finger is involved and one hand wholly or partially disabled.

In order to produce a bandage capable of being applied by the individual, a two ply rolled tubular bandage was devised so that it was only necessary to place the injured member in the closed end of the bandage and unroll over the injured member; but heretofore these rolled tubular bandages had to be rolled by hand which is a time consuming and expensive operation.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce an automatic means for rolling tubular bandages quickly, perfectly and inexpensively.

Another object of my invention is the method of rolling tubular bandages whereby a minimum amount of handling and consequent contamination is avoided.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Fig. l is an isometric view of the rolling mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rolling mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with hopper broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

'Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the method of threading the bandage on the leading tube of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the operating arm member;

Pig. 8 is :a cross section of the reversion tube with operating arm in position;

Fig. :9 is a partially completed bandage;

(Fig. 10 is an advanced stage as shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective of the completed bandage.

Referring to the drawings and particularly toxFig. l. The mechanism of the machine is bolted "or otherwise suitably afiixed to a bed or table 1 2, shown broken in places in Pig. 1 in order to compress the size. A support rod 13 is rigidly mounted at right angles to a collar 14 arranged to be held in vertical aligned position by means of adjustable collars 15 and 16, these collars being made adjustable in a vertical plane on the vertical support rod 17,3by means of set screws 18 and 19.

' In order that "the travelof bar 13 be limited in its horizontal movement the stops 20-and 21 are bolted or otherwise aflixed between the collars 15 and 16 sothat they interrupt the movement of the bar 13 at predetermined points so that (as shown by Fig. 1) when 13 is swung to the left, its movement horizontally is arrested by stop 20 and when swung to the right, its movement is arrested by stop 21. In practice, these stops are arranged so that the bar 13 may be swung through an arc of ninety degrees, although, as will later be apparent, any other degree of travel of the bar 13 may be used depending on the arrangement of the various other parts of the machine.

Drive rod 22 is slidably mounted on bar 13 by means 2,702,544 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 "ice of bore 23 while rod 22 is narrowed at 24 to terminate in mandrel 25 covered with resilient material 26. Rod 22 is broken in Fig. 1 to show bore 23 and to shorten the rod 22 for illustrative purposes. Sponge rubber serves the purpose admirably although any other material may be used. The mandrel 25 is removably emplaced in the narrowed portion 24 of rod 22 by means of the threaded portion 27 so that it may be removed and renewed when worn. Mandrel 25 is also tipped with a piece of metal 28 threaded into the mandrel at 29, thus the tip 28 serves to additionally hold the resilient cover 26 on the mandrel 25.

The loading portion of the machine consists of a loading tube 39 suitably mounted in bracket 31 afiixed to the base 12. The tube is held in position by set screws 32. Within the tube 30 is located a mandrel stop 33 consisting of a rod having orifices 34 bored through its diameter to provide means of adjusting the stop within the tube by the insertion of a pin 35 passing through an orifice 36 in the tube or through the various orifices 34, as desired, according to the length of the mandrel. In order to facilitate loading of bandages over the loading tube, a bullet shaped loading assistor 37 is slipped in the end of the loading tube 30 (see Fig. 6) and a length of precut bandage 3'8 forced over the assistor and forced back over the tube, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, after which the loading assistor 37 is removed. On removal of the loading assistor the mandrel 2 5 which in its entirety consists of the parts 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 is swung to the left until rod 13 encounters stop 20 where it is in proximityto and alignment with the mouth of the loading tube, then the mandrel by means of the drive rod sliding on the support bar, slid forward into the loading tube until the mandrel tip 28 meets the stop 33, the bandage 38 is now threaded over the end of the mandrel, held manually, and the mandrel pulled backwards out of the tube to the position shown in Fig. 9 with part of the bandage on the tube and part on the mandrel. At this point several methods may be used for the closure of the center of the tubular bandage. This may be done by either tying with thread, wrapping with adhesive thread or twisting the mandrel 25 to overlap the bandage 38. My preferred method is to tie the bandage in the center with a thread 39 after which the mandrel is again forced into the loading tube as shown in Fig. 1 0, stripping the remaining bandage from the loading tube and retroverting it over the first layer of bandage on the mandrel to form a double ply tubular stall, as shown partially completed in Fig. 10.

After emplacing a double ply tubular stall on the mandrel, the next step is to swing the mandrel to the right until it is arrested by the :stop 21. in swinging themandrel to the right, the drive rod 22 rocks cont-act arm 39 on its pivot 40 so that the lower portion of the contactarm actuates a micro or mercury switch 41 closinga circuit to a double solenoid 42 forcing outwardly the solenoid cores 43 and '44. These solenoid cores are at-: tached to roller separation arms 45 and 46 pivoted at 47 and normally held together by spring 48. The upper end of arms 45 and 46 are in contact with roller holding bracket arms 49 and 50 suitably pivoted at 5-1 and '52 to a holding bracket {53. Rotatably suspended between the arms or brackets 49 and '50by-ax'1es 54 and 5-5 are rollers 56 and 57 adapted to rotate inwardly (:as shown by the arrows on the drawing), by means of flexible drive shafts 58fan'd '59, attached to a suitable power source, not shown. These rollers Tarepreferably composed of relatively'resilient material such as sponge rubber or the like, and are nor mally held in contact the one with the other, by-means and its accornpanying parts to the right andactua-ting' switch, the rollers 56 and 57 are opened to permit the drive rod 22 and mandrel carrying the bandage to be insertcd between the rollers 56 and 57 without coming into contact with the rollers. 'Since the contact arm 39 is of shorter length than the distance between the pivot 40 and carrying rod 13 forcing of the rod 22 forward on rod 13 causes arm 39 to be relieved of pressure when the large end of 22 is out of contact with arm 39. This causes arm 39 to assume upright position once again, by gravity, and breaks the micro or mercury switch contact which in turn stops power flowing to the solenoid 42 allowing spring 60 to bring the rollers together on the mandrel. When the drive rod 22 is slid back on rod 13 the inwardly turning rollers 56 and 57 roll the bandage stripping 1t oif the mandrel and causing it to be forced off the tip 28 and into the hopper 61.

'In order to assume correct travel of the mandrel and drive rod in their forward movement the holding bracket 53 has drilled into it a female threaded orifice 62 into which is introduced a male threaded rod 63, having a knurled knob 64 and lockwashers 65 at one end, and a mandrel stop 66 at the other.

In operation after the double ply bandage 38 is loaded over the outside of the mandrel, as heretofore described, the rod 13 is swung to the right tilting arm 39 on pivot 40 actuating switch 41 and through the solenoid and associated parts swinging the rollers 56 and 57 out of contact to allow the drive piece to be pushed forward on rod 13 until it reaches stop 66 and in so doing releasing arm 39 and thereby causing rollers 56 and 57 to close on the mandrel by means of spring 60 whereupon withdrawal of the mandrel causes the bandage to be rolled off the mandrel cover 26 and drop into the hopper 61 as a finished rolled tubular bandage (as shown in Fig. 11).

Because of the spring load brackets 49 and 50, any variation in the size of the mandrel covering 26 is instantly accounted for insuring a tight pressure of the rollers on the mandrel covering.

While I have disclosed the operation of a single unit machine and method, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that many changes may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

1 claim:

1. The method of forming rolled tubular bandages consisting of the steps of threading a tubular bandage over a loading tube, transferring a portion of the bandage to a mandrel, closing the central portion of the tube, retroverting the remaining portion of the bandage over the portion on the mandrel, introducing the mandrel between a pair of rollers and causing the latter to roll and strip said bandage from said mandrel.

2. The method of forming rolled tubular bandages consisting of the steps of threading a tubular bandage over a loading tube, introducing a mandrel into said tube, removing said mandrel and a portion of said bandage so that said bandage surrounds said mandrel, closing the medial portion of said bandage, reintroducing said mandrel into said tube to cause said bandage on said tube to be retroverted over the bandage on said mandrel, positioning the mandrel between a pair of rollers and causing the latter to revolve inwardly to roll and strip said bandage from the mandrel.

3. In a machine for rolling tubular bandages, a base, a pivot mounted on said base, a support rod mounted on said pivot for restricted movement thereon, a drive rod mounted on said support and adapted to be swung with said support rod and to move horizontally along the latter, a mandrel attached to said drive rod, bandage loading means attached to said base and in proximity to said mandrel when in one position whereby tubular bandages may be stripped from said loading means and deposited on said mandrel, bandage rolling means consisting of inwardly revolving rollers adapted to receive and embrace said mandrel and bandage when said support rod is swung to a second position and said drive rod moved horizontally with respect to said support rod whereby said rollers cause said bandage to be rolled and stripped from said mandrel.

4. In a machine for rolling tubular bandages, a base, a pivot mounted on said base, a support rod mounted on said pivot for restricted movement, a drive rod slidably mounted on said support rod, a mandrel mounted on said drive rod, a loading tube containing a mandrel stop mounted on said base in proximity to said mandrel, and

a loading assistor removably connected to said loading tube whereby a length of tubular bandage may be threaded over said assistor and over said loading tube, said assistor removed and said mandrel aligned and forced into said tube, then removed carrying a portion of said tubular bandage, said tubular bandage closed and said mandrel reinserted in said loading tube to produce a double ply tubular bandage.

5. In a machine for rolling tubular bandages, a base, a pivot mounted on said base, a support rod mounted on said pivot for restricted movement, a drive rod slidably mounted on said support rod, a mandrel covered with resilient material mounted on said drive rod, a loading tube containing an adjustable mandrel stop mounted on said base in proximity to said mandrel, and a loading assistor removably connected to said loading tube whereby a length of tubular bandage may be threaded over said assistor and over said loading tube, said assistor removed and said mandrel aligned and forced into said tube, then removed carrying a portion of said tubular bandage, said tubular bandage closed and said mandrel reinserted in said loading tube to produce a double ply tubular bandage.

6. In a machine for rolling tubular bandages, a base, a pivot mounted on said base, a support rod mounted on said pivot for restricted movement, a drive rod slidably mounted on said support rod, a mandrel mounted on said drive rod, substantially resilient rollers turning inwardly mounted on said base whereby a tubular bandage may be mounted on said mandrel, introduced between said rollers then removed, said removal causing said rollers to roll and strip said bandage from said mandrel to produce a rolled tubular bandage.

7. In a machine for rolling tubular bandages, a base, a pivot mounted on said base, a support rod mounted on said pivot for restricted movement, a drive rod slidably mounted on said support rod, a mandrel mounted on said drive rod, substantially resilient rollers turning inwardly mounted on said base, whereby a tubular bandage may be mounted on said mandrel, said mandrel swung into alignment with said rollers, introduced between said rollers, and means for holding said rollers apart while said mandrel is being introduced between them and closing said rollers on said mandrel when said mandrel is between said rollers to cause said rollers to roll and strip said bandage from said mandrel when the latter is removed.

8. The method of forming rolled tubular bandages consisting of the steps of threading a tubular bandage over a loading tube, transferring a portion of the bandage to a mandrel, closing the central portion of the tube, retrovertlng the remaining portion of the bandage over the mand rel, introducing the mandrel between rollers, closlng said rollers over said mandrel behind said bandage and causing said rollers to strip said bandage from said mandrel.

9. The method of forming rolled tubular bandages consisting of the steps of threading a tubular bandage over a loading tube, transferring a portion of the band age to a mandrel, closing the central portion of the tube, retroverting the remaining portion of the bandage over the mand rel, introducing the mandrel between rollers, closing said rollers over said mandrel behind said bandage and causing said rollers to rotate in opposing directrons thereby stripping said bandage from said mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,910 Gonzenbach Nov. 20, 19

1,483,664 Kempel Feb. 12, 19%; 2,067,642 Millen Jan. 12, 1937 2,182,424 Chercass Dec. 5, 1939 2,571,946 Rosenfield Oct. 16, 1951 

